Cameroon, grappling with a yearly toll of over 600,000 malaria deaths, has received 331,200 doses of GSK’s Mosquirix vaccine.
The arrival at Yaounde’s Nsimalen International Airport positions Cameroon as the first African nation, post-pilot programs in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, to secure the crucial vaccine. The vaccines, set to reach 42 health districts initially, come as a lifeline in a region where malaria claims nearly half a million children under five each year.
Cameroon’s health minister, Manaouda Malachie, emphasized the vaccine as a vital addition to existing measures, anticipating inoculations to commence next month. GSK reports over 1.7 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi have already received a dose.
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The rollout extends to nine more malaria-endemic countries, including Cameroon, from early next year. UNICEF representative Juliette Haenni highlights the historic significance in safeguarding the most vulnerable age group, children aged six to 24 months.
As GSK embarks on this initiative in Cameroon, it comes on the heels of the company’s recent exit from Nigeria.